"All three of you," Lily continued, "are pouring your best minds into weapons that will never fire. That is why your development feels slow. That is why nothing quite resolves. You are doing excellent work on a foundation we hollowed out before you ever touched it." She gestured at the five floating systems. "We have the real ones. We have all five. And the only reason you are seeing them now is that I need you to understand the conversation we are actually having."
She let the devices turn slowly in the air a moment longer.
